


we'll stand up champions tonight

by komhmagnus



Series: inspired by 3b [15]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Magnus Bane Deserves Nice Things, Magnus gets the thanks he deserves, Post-Episode: s03e22 All Good Things..., Prompt Fill, Supportive Alec Lightwood, The Clave (Shadowhunter Chronicles), The Clave is trying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 20:38:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19070236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/komhmagnus/pseuds/komhmagnus
Summary: "I never thought I would see the day,” he whispered.





	we'll stand up champions tonight

**Author's Note:**

> prompt from chattykaty22 on tumblr: Okay so i have been dyingggg for someone to write this fic Malec after Alec rescues Magnus from Edom and the Clave have to thank Magnus for saving alicante with a ceremony or something cause if it wasn't for him they all would have been fucked. And some of them look like they are actually dying inside to be thanking a downworlder but they have to and Alec standing beside Magnus being that #proudAFfiance™ Pleaseee write thiss, will give you my firstborn
> 
> title is from Change by Taylor Swift

“Remind me why we’re going to this, again?” Magnus asked, fiddling with his cufflinks. His fingers played with them absently for another minute before he moved to the dresser to swap them for another pair. For the fifth time that evening.

Alec rolled his eyes fondly, stepping up behind his husband to run a comforting hand up and down his lower back. Magnus sighed, some of the tension leaving him as he relaxed into the sensation.

“We’re going because the Clave invited us. _All_ of us,” Alec said softly, the importance of the words still conveyed. When Alec said _all_ , he meant every single one of their friends and family that had helped save Idris and then the world from Jonathan Morgenstern and his destruction. Of course the Clave had invited the Shadowhunters involved, but it wasn’t only them. It was Simon and Maia and Lorenzo and Meliorn. Everyone who’d been in Idris during the initial attack and everyone who’d been to Edom to stop the aftermath.

Everyone except Clary.

Magnus turned from the dresser, arms looping up around Alec’s neck. “I know,” he sighed. “And I know it’s a big step for the Clave, I just…”

Alec’s arm tightened around his back as he brought his other hand up to cup Magnus’s cheek. “You don’t have to explain. I know the Clave probably hasn’t been very kind to you over the years. And I know going tonight is going to be...well, it’s going to be a lot. For both of us, but especially for you.” Magnus was suddenly torn between the urge to kiss his husband senseless or to sob into his arms for the rest of the evening. Alec’s thumb stroked along his cheekbone. “I understand why you’re apprehensive about going, but I think we need to be there. It’s a big step for the Clave to invite you, to invite every single one of our friends. It’s an even bigger step that they’re _acknowledging_ how big a role the Downworld played in saving Idris and the world.”

Magnus nodded. “You’re right. I never thought I would see the day,” he whispered.

“Me neither,” Alec whispered back, a small, proud smile gracing his lips. “I’ll be right there beside you, no matter what happens. We can even leave early if you want to.”

“Thank you, Alexander,” Magnus said, pulling his husband into an embrace.

“You don’t have to thank me,” Alec said into his shoulder. “I would do anything for you. Not that I would ever mind ditching out of a Clave event early.” Magnus laughed. “Come on,” Alec said, pulling away and gently grabbing one of Magnus’s hands as they fell from his shoulders.

***

“Mr. Lightwood, Mr. Bane,” Consul Penhallow called as soon as they stepped through the portal into the Gard’s reception hall.

“Lightwood-Bane, actually,” Alec corrected, squeezing Magnus’s hand. Magnus grinned at the press of cool metal from Alec’s wedding band.

“Of course,” Jia replied without falter. “My apologies. I wanted to extend my welcome,” she said to both of them, before flashing a smile at Magnus. “And my thanks,” she added.

Magnus returned her smile and nodded. He couldn’t help but feel a little shocked. Of course, he’d known what this evening was about. The Clave had made it perfectly clear in the invitations that it was to celebrate and thank the work of the Downworld in protecting both Idris and the world from Jonathan Morgenstern’s destruction.

“Alec! Magnus!”

They turned in unison, spotting Aline and Helen bounding through the crowd towards them. The two were grinning ear to ear, and Magnus found himself grinning when he noticed their hands clasped between them. He shifted his gaze to Alec, finding a similar grin on his husband’s face. Alec’s eyes were knowing, happy. Proud, even, Magnus thought.

Aline pressed Alec into a hug, and then Magnus, to his surprise. He hardly knew the Consul’s daughter, but he supposed her new affection made sense. It was clear she cared about Alec--about all of the Lightwoods. Now Magnus was part of that family. Magnus smiled.

Magnus watched in amusement as Helen looked at Alec, clearly unsure of herself. She stuck out a hand as though to shake his, but Alec laughed and shook his head. Aline snorted affectionately at the surprise on her face when Alec pulled Helen into a hug instead. Magnus pulled Helen into a hug as well, trying his best not to let her expression of awe go straight to his ego.

“Is the rest of your family here?” Aline asked Alec.

He nodded. “Haven’t seen them yet, but they’re around here somewhere.”

Aline’s hand found Helen’s again. “Let’s go find Isabelle,” she said, waving as she pulled her girlfriend away.

“My daughter and her girlfriend have been raving to me about your heroics,” Jia said as the three of them watched Helen and Aline disappear into the crowd once again.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Magnus said, shifting a little on his feet.

Alec shook his head. “Nope, don’t let him be modest. Izzy and I were about to stupidly try to take on dozens of the edomai when Magnus appeared out of nowhere and blasted all of them in a matter of seconds.” He grinned. “If that’s not the definition of heroic, I don’t know what is.”

Magnus shrugged, smiling as he fought the urge to blush. “I did have a badass one-liner and everything.”

“Well,” Jia said, smiling. Magnus was more than a little surprised to see how genuine of a smile it was. _Maybe the Clave is changing,_ he thought. “Idris and I thank you for your heroics and your sacrifices. We won’t let them go unappreciated, Mr. Lightwood-Bane.”

“Thank you,” Magnus said quietly. “But, please. Call me Magnus.”

“Of course,” Jia said. She clapped her hands together, intertwining her fingers. “I’ll leave you to it. Please enjoy the party.” A moment later she was gone, leaving Alec and Magnus alone.

“Wow,” Magnus breathed.

“I know,” Alec said, turning and placing his hands gently around Magnus’s waist. He smiled proudly at Magnus.

***

Magnus found Meliorn standing by the refreshments table and bar. He’d wandered away from Alec in search of a drink after one particularly awkward conversation with some Clave official whose name Magnus had already forgotten.

He had to hand it to the more close-minded bigots of the Clave for _trying_ tonight. He’d even shaken hands with a man Magnus recognized to have once been a part of the Circle. By the time the man had walked away and Magnus’s polite smile fell once again, he was exhausted. After a few more similar interactions with people who’d clearly lived in Idris all their lives and rarely interacted with Downworlders, Magnus had mumbled to Alec that he needed a drink, preferably something strong.

The evening hadn’t been entirely bad, though. The many Downworlders in attendance were warm towards him, smiling and celebrating. Whispers of congratulations followed him and Alec around the party from friends and strangers alike.

Meliorn smiled lazily at Magnus’s approach. “Magnus.”

“Meliorn,” Magnus said as cheerfully as he could muster, pleased to find a familiar face in the throng of people. He wouldn’t say that he and the Seelie knight were friends, necessarily, but they’d been through a lot together in the past few months. First with the beginning of Alec’s Downworlder cabinets, and then Meliorn had joined the rescue mission to Edom. Had almost _died_ on the rescue mission to Edom.

Magnus looked out at the crowd, taking a sip of his dark red wine. He’d wanted something stronger, but he hadn’t drank--not really--since the night he’d broken down in Alec’s arms. Somehow the thought of whiskey set a coldness in his bones that he wasn’t quite yet ready to face.

He and Meliorn watched the party-goers in companionable silence. “It’s strange, isn’t it,” Magnus murmured after a moment. “Shadowhunters and Downworlders in one room. In the angels’ city, no less.”

“I can’t say I ever imagined a Seelie would receive such a warm welcome in Alicante,” Meliorn replied, face unreadable as he skimmed the crowd. “I believe this change to be a long time coming, as does my new Queen.”

“Yes,” Magnus agreed. “Please express my congratulations to your new Queen on her coronation.”

Meliorn nodded. He smiled at Magnus, the upturn of his lips there and gone in a flash, and a moment later, so was Meliorn.

Magnus turned back to the crowd, suddenly finding himself face to face with Robert Lightwood.

“Magnus,” Robert said with a warmth Magnus never would’ve expected.

“Hello, Robert,” Magnus said, smiling and bracing himself once again. Whatever blow he was expecting, it didn’t come.

“I wanted to express my thanks,” Robert said, looking somewhat sheepish. Magnus raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t stop himself. He’d never expected Robert Lightwood, once a member of the Circle who so desperately hated him and the man who’d been afraid of Magnus’s relationship with his son, to _thank_ him. “Thank you, of course, for what you did to save us all, but what I really mean is...Thank you for what you’ve done for Alec.”

Magnus opened his mouth, entirely unsure of what to say. Maryse had said something similar once:   _Thank you for loving my boy._ Her sentiment had arrived as a shock to both Magnus _and_ Alec, but she had come so far from the woman who’d tried to kick him out of Alec’s almost wedding. Magnus knew she loved him like a fourth son. He couldn’t imagine Robert ever harboring any such feelings for himself.

“Dad, hi.” Alec’s voice broke through the crowd, saving Magnus from replying, but still he smiled warmly at Robert. Alec’s hand found his as he approached, and he squeezed Magnus’s hand gently. Magnus squeezed back, probably a bit harder than he’d intended.

“Hello, son,” Robert smiled. “I was just saying hello to Magnus, but I think I’d better go find your brother. Who knows what kind of trouble Max will get himself into at a party like this,” he joked, making a graceful exit into the crowd.

“You okay?” Alec murmured, stepping closer.

Magnus hummed, watching the spot in the crowd that Robert had disappeared into. “Yes,” he said truthfully. “Yes, I am.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos are appreciated 💖  
> Find me on tumblr and twitter @banesapothecary


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